1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a pill crushing apparatus and, more particularly, to a hand-operable pill crushing apparatus for adapting solid pills into particulates.
2. Prior Art
Medications are commonly provided in the form of pills or tablets, and it is well known that these can be difficult to swallow for various persons. Consequently, various pill crushers have been proposed in the prior art for crushing pills and tablets so as to convert the medications into powder form, which can be more easily ingested by such persons.
One prior art example shows a pill crusher that has an arm extending over and along an elongate base, with a pivotal connection between the base and one end of the arm. An upwardly open cylindrical housing on the base has a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the base and a compression spring in the cylindrical housing between a cylindrical anvil member and the base. Interengaged guide formations on the housing and the anvil member at opposite sides of the housing are inclined so as to cause rotational movement of the anvil member relative to the cylindrical housing on displacement of the anvil member along the longitudinal axis against the action of the spring; and a cylindrical pressure member depending from the arm above the cylindrical housing. In use, the rotational movement of the anvil member causes a pill to be both crushed and also simultaneously ground between the pressure and anvil members, which have serrated opposed faces to improve the grinding. Unfortunately, this prior art example does not provide a receptacle for containing the pill once it has been crushed.
Another prior art example shows a hand-held pill crusher with an arm and base made of a hard and impervious material connected at one end so as to allow a vertical open and close movement to fragment and then crush pill into powdered form. The arm contains a plurality of stainless steel blades for fragmenting pill and a crushing member made of similar hard and impervious material for reducing fragments to powder. The base contains a pill rack, threaded recess for crushing member and a track on underside for holding spoon-like receiving member. Unfortunately, this example uses sharp blades to crush a pill which can expose a user to the possibility of injury by the blades during use of the invention.
Accordingly, a need remains for a hand-operable pill crushing apparatus in order to overcome the above-noted shortcomings. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing an apparatus that is simple and easy to use, is lightweight yet durable in design, and allows a user to efficiently crush pills into powder form. Designed for users who have trouble swallowing pills, such an apparatus effectively relieves a user from the frustrating and unpleasant alternative of having to chew a pill. The apparatus is inexpensive and easily packed for travel.